After I picked up my phone I learned that my paddle and Akuilisaq should arrive in a couple of days. I waited a couple of days. I waited a couple more days. I went to the post office.
I waited in line, for about an hour. The woman behind the counter told me to go outside, follow the staircase down, and come in through the entrance on the other side of the block.
I did. There was a big line there. I waited for about an hour.
I knew the address that the package was shipped to and the tracking number. They were unable to find my package with the tracking number. They looked around back for it, and didn’t find it that way either.
There was nothing else they could do.
I called my local hero Corrado. He worked his magic and discovered that my package was in the hands of the Milano mafia - post office consortium. I needed to fill out and fax a form to them declaring what was in the package: “used kayak paddle, used neoprene jacket, used shoes*, Akuilisaq.**”
The power was out so the fax machine wasn’t working. I waited.
Once we sent it in and spoke to them, after many failed attempts with busy signals, they told me my paddle should arrive in a couple of days.
I’m waiting.
Meanwhile, I read this in the New York Times this morning.
Maybe I died out there on the water and god sent me here to suffer for my sins.
To end on a good note, my package will come, and I will kayak. I will have a great time, just as I have for most of my time on the water. I’ll have my trusty paddle that I’ve used for years and a new skirt that may resolve the chafing. People might even be less rude to me if I wear shoes. Happiness is just around the corner. It’s coming back. All I have to do is wait.
*My mom thought it would be a good idea. I caved.
** Akuilisaq - a traditional style spray skirt that will hopefully chafe less than the current one.
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